THE Sunne dooth beate vppon the playne fieldes, wherefore let vs sit downe Gallathea, vnder this faire Oake, by whose broade leaues, beeing defended from the warme beames, we may enioy the fresh ayre, which softly breathes from Humber floodes.

Father, you haue deuised well, and whilst our flocke doth roame vp and downe thys pleasant greene, you shall recount to mee, if it please you, for what cause thys Tree was dedicated vnto Neptune, and why you haue thus disguised me.

I doe agree thereto, and when thy state and my care be considered, thou shalt knowe thys question was not asked in vaine.

I willingly attend.

In tymes past, where thou seest a heape of small pyble, stoode a stately Temple of white Mar∣ble, which was dedicated to the God of the Sea, (and in right beeing so neere the Sea) hether came all such as Page  [unnumbered] eyther ventured by long trauell to see Countries, or by great traffique to vse merchandise, offering Sacrifice by fire, to gette safety by water; yeelding thanks for per∣rils past, & making prayers for good successe to come; but Fortune, constant in nothing but inconstancie, did change her copie, as the people their custome, for the Land being oppressed by Danes, who in steed of sacri∣fice, committed sacrilidge, in steede of religion, rebelli∣on, and made a pray of that in which they should haue made theyr prayers, tearing downe the Temple euen with the earth, being almost equall with the skyes, en∣raged so the God who bindes the windes in the hol∣lowes of the earth, that he caused the Seas to breake their bounds, sith men had broke their vowes, and to swell as farre aboue theyr reach, as men had swarued beyond theyr reason: then might you see shippes sayle where sheepe fedde, ankers cast where ploughes goe, fishermen throw theyr nets, where husbandmen sowe theyr Corne, and fishes throw their scales where fowles doe breede theyr quils: then might you gather froth where nowe is dewe, rotten weedes for sweete roses, & take viewe of monstrous Maremaides, insteed of pas∣sing faire Maydes.

To heare these sweete maruailes, I would mine eyes were turned also into eares.

But at the last, our Country-men repenting, and not too late, because at last, Neptune either wearie of his wroth, or warie to doe them wrong, vpon condi∣tion consented to ease theyr miseries.

What condition will not miserable men ac∣cept?

The condition was this, that at euery fiue yeeres day, the fairest and chastest virgine in all the Countrey, should be brought vnto this Tree, & heere beeing bound, (whom neither parentage shall excuse Page  [unnumbered] for honour, nor vertue for entegrity) is left for a peace offering vnto Neptune.

Deere is the peace that is bought with guilt∣lesse blood.

I am not able to say that, but hee sendeth a Monster called the Agar, against whose comming the waters rore, the fowles flie away, and the Cattell in the field for terror, shunne the bankes.

And she bound to endure that horror?

And she bound to endure that horror.

Doth thys Monster deuoure her?

Whether she be deuoured of him, or conuei∣ed to Neptune, or drowned between both, it is not per∣mitted to knowe, and encurreth danger to coniecture; Now Gallathea heere endeth my tale, & beginneth thy tragedie.

Alas father, and why so?

I would thou hadst beene lesse faire, or more fortunate, then shouldest thou not repine that I haue disguised thee in this attyre, for thy beautie will make thee to be thought worthy of this God; to auoide ther∣fore desteny (for wisedome ruleth the stars) I thinke it better to vse an vnlawfull meanes (your honour preser∣ued) then intollerable greefe, both life and honor ha∣zarded, and to preuent (if it be possible) thy constella∣tion by my craft. Now hast thou heard the custome of this Countrey, the cause why thys Tree was dedicated vnto Neptune, and the vexing care of thy fearefull Fa∣ther.

Father, I haue beene attentiue to heare, and by your patience am ready to aunswer. Destenie may be deferred, not preuented; and therefore it were bet∣ter to offer my selfe in tryumph, then to be drawne to it with dishonour. Hath nature (as you say) made mee so faire aboue all, and shall not vertue make mee as fa∣mous Page  [unnumbered] as others? Doe you not knowe, (or dooth ouer∣carefulnes make you forget) that an honorable death is to be preferred before an infamous life. I am but a child, and haue not liued long, and yet not so childish, as I de∣sire to liue euer: vertues I meane to carry to my graue, not gray haires. I woulde I were as sure that destiny would light on me, as I am resolued it could not feare me. Nature hath giuē me beauty, Vertue courage, Na∣ture must yeeld mee death, Vertue honor. Suffer mee therefore to die, for which I was borne, or let me curse that I was borne, sith I may not die for it.

Alas Gallathea, to consider the causes of change, thou art too young, and that I should find them out for thee, too too fortunate.

The destenie to me cannot be so hard as the disguising hatefull.

To gaine loue, the Gods haue taken shapes of beastes, and to saue life art thou coy to take the at∣tire of men?

They were beastly gods, that lust could make them seeme as beastes.

In health it is easie to counsell the sicke, but it's hard for the sicke to followe wholesome counsaile. Well let vs depart, the day is farre spent.

Faire Nimphe, are you strayed from your companie by chaunce, or loue you to wander solitarily on purpose?

Faire boy, or god, or what euer you bee, I would you knew these woods are to me so wel known, that I cannot stray though I would, and my minde so free, that to be melancholy I haue no cause. There is none of Dianaes trayne that any can traine, either out Page  [unnumbered] of their waie, or out of their wits.

What is that Diana a goddesse? what her Nimphes virgins? what her pastimes hunting?

A goddesse? who knowes it not? Virgins? who thinkes it not? Hunting? who loues it not?

I pray thee sweete wench, amongst all your sweete troope, is there not one that followeth the swee∣test thing. Sweete loue?

Loue good sir, what meane you by it? or what doe you call it?

A heate full of coldnesse, a sweet full of bit∣ternesse, a paine ful of pleasantnesse, which maketh thoughts haue eyes, and harts eares, bred by desire, nur∣sed by delight, weaned by ielousie, kild by dissembling, buried by ingratitude, and this is loue, fayre Lady wil you any?

If it be nothing els, it is but a foolish thing.

Try, and you shall find it a prettie thing.

I haue neither will nor leysure, but I will fol∣lowe Diana in the Chace, whose virgins are all chast, de∣lighting in the bowe that wounds the swift Hart in the Forrest, not fearing the bowe that strikes the softe hart in the Chamber. This difference is betweene my Mi∣stris Diana, and your Mother (as I gesse) Venus, that all her Nimphes are amiable and wise in theyr kinde, the other amorous and too kinde for their sexe; and so farewell little god.

Diana, and thou, and all thine, shall knowe that Cupid is a great god, I will practise a while in these woodes, and play such pranckes with these Nimphes, that while they ayme to hit others with their Arrowes, they shall be wounded themselues with their owne eyes.

Come Phillida, faire Phillida, and I feare me too faire being my Phillida, thou knowest the cu∣stome of this Countrey, & I the greatnes of thy beau∣tie, we both the fiercenesse of the monster Agar. Eue∣rie one thinketh his owne childe faire, but I know that which I most desire, and would least haue, that thou art fairest. Thou shalt therefore disguise thy selfe in attire, least I should disguise my selfe in affection, in suffering thee to perrish by a fond desire, whom I may preserue by a sure deceipt.

Deere father, Nature could not make mee so faire as she hath made you kinde, nor you more kinde then me dutifull. What soeuer you commaunde I will not refuse, because you commaund nothing but my sa∣fetie, and your happinesse. But howe shall I be disgui∣sed?

In mans apparell.

It wil neither become my bodie, nor my minde.

Why Phillida?

For then I must keepe companie with boyes, and commit follies vnseemelie for my sexe, or keepe company with girles, and be thought more wanton then becommeth me. Besides, I shall be ashamed of my long hose and short coate, and so vnwarelie blabbe out something by blushing at euery thing.

Feare not Phillida, vse will make it easie, feare must make it necessarie.

I agree, since my father will haue it so, and fortune must.

Come let vs in, and when thou art disgui∣sed, roame about these woods till the time be past, and Neptune pleased.

Now Mariner, what callest thou this sport on the Sea?

It is called a wracke.

I take no pleasure in it. Of all deathes I wold not be drownd, ones clothes will be so wet when hee is taken vp.

What calst thou the thing wee were bounde to?

A raughter.

I wyll rather hang my selfe on a raughter in the house, then be so haled in the Sea, there one may haue a leape for his lyfe; but I maruaile howe our Ma∣ster speedes.

Ile warrant by this time he is wetshod. Dyd you euer see water buble as the Sea did? But what shall we doe?

You are now in Lyncolnshire, where you can want no foule, if you can deuise meanes to catch them, there be woods hard by, and at euery myles ende hou∣ses: so that if you seeke on the Lande, you shall speede better then on the Sea.

Sea, nay I will neuer saile more, I brooke not their diet: their bread is so hard, that one must carrie a whetstone in his mouth to grinde his teeth: the meate so salt, that one woulde thinke after dinner his tongue had beene powdred ten daies.

O thou hast a sweet life Mariner to be pinde in a few boordes, and to be within an inche of a thing bottomlesse. I pray thee howe often hast thou beene drowned?

Foole thou seest I am yet aliue.

Why be they deade that be drownd, I had Page  [unnumbered] thought they had beene with the fish, and so by chance beene caught vp with them in a Nette againe. It were a shame a little cold water should kill a man of reason, when you shall see a poore Mynow lie in it, that hath no vnderstanding.

Thou art wise from the crowne of thy heade vpwards; seeke you new fortunes nowe, I will followe mine olde. I can shift the Moone and the Sunne, and know by one Carde, what all you cannot do by a whole payre. The Lode-stone that alwaies holdeth his nose to the North, the two and thirty poynts for the winde, the wonders I see woulde make all you blinde: you be but boyes, I feare the Sea no more then a dish of water. Why fooles it is but a liquid element, farewell.

It were good wee learned his cunning at the Cardes, for we must liue by cosenage, we haue neyther Lands nor wit, nor Maisters, nor honestie.

Nay I would faine haue his thirty two, that is, his three dozen lacking foure points, for you see be∣twixt vs three there is not two good points.

Let vs call him a little backe that wee may learne those points. Sirra a word, I pray thee shewe vs thy points.

Will you learne?

I.

Then as you like this I will instruct you in all our secretes: for there is not a clowte nor carde, nor boord, nor post, that hath not a speciall name, or singu∣ler nature.

Well begin with your points, for I lacke on∣lie points in this world.

North. North & by East. North North East. North-east and by North, North-east. North-east and by East. East North-east, East and by North. East.

Ile say it, North, north-east, North-east, Nore Page  [unnumbered] nore and by Nore-east. I shall neuer doe it.

Thys is but one quarter.

I shall neuer learne a quarter of it. I will try. North, North-east, is by the West side, North and by North.

Passing ill.

Hast thou no memorie. Try thou.

North North and by North. I can goe no fur∣ther.

O dullerde, is thy head lighter then the wind, and thy tongue so heauie it will not wagge. I will once againe say it.

I will neuer learne this language, it wil get but small liuing, when it will scarce be learned till one bee olde.

Nay then farewell, and if your fortunes ex∣ceede not your wits, you shall starue before ye sleepe.

Was there euer such cosening? Come let vs to the woods, and see what fortune we may haue be∣fore they be made shippes: as for our Maister hee is drownd.

I will this way.

I this.

I this, & this day twelue-month let vs all meete heere againe: it may be we shall eyther beg together, or hang together.

It skils not so we be together. But let vs sing now, though we cry heereafter.